Poker Night
by RedRogue
Summary: While the Prof's away, the X-Men will play... Poker, that is. Only sometimes the bets can go a little far. ROMY ONE-SHOT


**A/N (Because Kitty loves author's notes): Just something I had lying around my computer and decided to post. Hope you enjoy.**

**-**

Logan and Scott put the last of the Professor's suitcases into the trunk of his car, and closed the trunk, wiping their hands of the work. Beast was dressed in his usual suit, trench coat and hat, ready to act as chauffer on the Professor's business trip.

"Missing you already, Professor," Jean waved fondly.

"Now, everyone," Professor stated in a warning tone. "I expect you to keep everything in order until I return."

"Don't worry, Professor," Scott reassured him. "I'll make sure everyone's in line."

"In line with what?" Remy piped up. Rogue hit him to make him be quiet.

"He means keep you on your best behavior," Professor explained. "No drinking for anyone, especially you, Logan and Remy, and no late nights. Agreed?"

"No sweat, Prof," Logan assured him with a sly smile. "We'll be good…"

-

"See you and raise you, Remy," Jean announced, during their poker night that no one realized had gone _way_ past midnight. Remy took another swig of his Heineken and winked.

"You can raise me anytime, Chere. I'm in."

"Stop flirtin' and start playing, Cajun," Wolverine growled impatiently.

"Now, don't get your shorts in a bunch, Logan, just because you're losin' to a Louisiana-bred bayou boy."

"I wouldn't be losin' if someone weren't _cheatin'_."

"You accusing me of somethin', Logan? You should just come out and say it."

"Alright, you're a stinkin' little--"

"Play cards, people," Scott intervened. Silence ensued at their leader speaking. Remy frowned and leaned over to Logan.

"He's still being uptight," Remy whispered.

"Give him another water," Logan prescribed. "The 'special' kind."

"Dern. Thought the one would do the trick with the lightweight."

"If you ladies are done having a _gossip_ fest," Jean insisted, then scooted up her final rows of chips. "I'm going to say I'm all in."

"I fold," Rogue declared immediately, throwing down her cards in disappointment.

"Me too," Scott did the same.

"Too rich for me," Ororo gave up too. Everyone looked to Logan, but he was staring at Jean in deep concentration, or more, glaring suspicion.

"None of that mind-reading stuff now," he warned. She smiled mischievously.

"That would be against the rules, wouldn't it?"

Logan snickered.

"I'll call," he announced. Remy sat back and peered at his cards like they interested him greatly. At length, he scratched his chin and threw his money on the pile.

"Call Remy crazy, but he gonna hafta call too."

Jean's face fell, and she glared at both of them.

"Darn you both!" she yelled, throwing down her cards angrily. "That was the last of my money! You two shouldn't be allowed to play."

"You shouldn't bluff," Logan countered.

"She never could," Remy agreed.

"No, you're right," Jean admitted. "Excuse me for being an honest person."

"You're excused," Remy nodded agreeably, and turned his attention back to Logan. "So what you have, mon ami?"

"Eh, just a straight. You?"

"Flush."

"Figured."

Remy smiled and gathered his money with an arrogant face.

"It's the boy's deal," he said, nodding in Scott's direction as he stacked his many chips.

"Alright," Scott yawned. "One more, then everyone goes to bed."

There were groans, but surprisingly, no one protested.

"Oh, I do love final rounds," Rogue said with a confident grin. "You ready to lose all your pride and money, Cajun?"

"Chere," he replied, interlacing his hands behind his head and beaming. "I've been ready all night."

With that everyone gathered their cards and began the final game. Scott adjusted his glasses thoughtfully. Jean frowned and sighed with disappointment. Logan took a drink and threw some money in. Storm remained expressionless. Rogue and Remy were still staring at each other with competitive glares.

"Two bucks to you, Cajun," Logan reminded.

"Make it ten," Remy said right off, not taking his cocky eyes off his target of Rogue.

"I'm out," Jean said with another sigh.

"As am I, I'm afraid," Storm agreed.

"Ditto," Scott chimed in.

"See your ten," Rogue said, fingering her money. "And raise you five."

"You guys, save it until you exchange cards, okay?" Scott stated. "Or don't you know how to play?"

"Don't need to exchange cards," Rogue bragged. "I was dealt the winning hand."

"Fifteen it is," Logan obliged, adding more chips to the pile.

"Bad choice, Logan," Rogue warned. "Sure you don't want to take that back?"

"I'd like to see some more cards first, River Rat. I'll take two."

"None for me," Rogue said as intimidatingly as she could, her eyes glittering with excitement.

"I'll take… four," Remy said, and Rogue burst out in laughter.

"Ya need four? Must be a hell of a hand."

Remy looked at his cards.

"Oh, it is."

"Ten," Rogue threw more money in the pot. "Logan?"

"No more from me. I'm tired of donating to Remy's cause. He's got enough money."

"Let's see… should Ah go big?" Rogue wondered out loud.

"Yeah," Scott shrugged. "Might as well. It's the last hand."

"On da contrary, Cyclops," Remy said, though it was more directed at Rogue. "My games could go on all night."

"Try to have censors in front of the parents, hot shot," Rogue commanded. "Raise you ten."

"Parents? I hope you don't mean me and Jean," Scott defended. "I'm just as inclined to have as good a time as anybody."

"Oh, yeah?" Rogue prosecuted. "When's the last time ya done somethin' reckless, Scott?"

Logan laughed, but drowned it into a cough.

"Er, uh…" Scott stalled, glancing at Jean.

"Exactly. Did ya raise me another ten, Rems?"

"_Oui_, Chere."

"See ya, raise ya twenty more."

"Oh, gettin' rich now, are we?" Remy said, impressed. "Sure ya don' wan' t' be borrowin' money from Remy?"

"Ah'll get it from you in a moment. Besides, Ah know whatever Ah borrow from you, I have to pay back, and you _never_ expect money."

Remy chuckled.

"Got me dere."

"Guys, play cards, please." Jean was beginning to rub her temples in a headache.

"Fine, Remy. Ah raise you…" Rogue pushed her stack of chips to the center of the table. "_Everythin'_ Ah got."

Everyone 'oohed' and 'ahhed' this, and Rogue just smiled smugly at Remy and waited for his response.

Remy smirked just as smugly back, amused at her bravery.

"Still in, Remy?" Rogue taunted.

"With you, Chere?" Remy replied. "Any day, any way."

He pushed his stack in as well.

"I do believe that is 'seein' and raisin'', Chere."

"That's not fair!" Rogue protested, her eyes wide in anger. "Ah can't call ya now!"

"Dere be odder t'ing's to put on a wager besides money, ya know," Remy winked, and Rogue gave him a look. Never being one to back down from a challenge, she thought about her next actions carefully. She slowly put her lovely hand face down on the table, and observed her opponent, squinting at him thoughtfully.

"Fine," she declared. "I'll bet…"

Dawning on a suitable idea, she leaned over to his ear and whispered below hearing frequency. His brows quickly shot up, and he fought a smile.

"Well, I'd say that calls!" he agreed, sitting up with a new interest.

"Don't pull that," Rogue warned. "Ah called _you_."

She held her breath as Remy laid down his cards.

"Alright den," he said. "You beat… two pair?"

Everyone present at the table gasped in shock.

"Ha!" Rogue stood up quite abruptly, and slammed down her hand. "Read 'em and weep, Card Shark! Full House! Take _that_!"

"Aww, dat too bad, Chere."

"Sure is!"

"For you."

"What?"

"Rogue," Jean said shakily. "Look at Remy's hand."

Rogue looked. She saw two sevens, a ten, and… two more sevens. She gawked in horror at Remy, who was shrugging apologetically.

"You cheatin' scoundrel!" Rogue shouted.

"Chere, you know Remy neva' cheat on you…"

"You shut up!" she snapped. "Ah know ya'll did _somethin'_!"

"Remy neva' took you fo' one t' back out on a bet, Chere."

All eyes fell on Rogue, who crossed her arms and was silent. She grabbed Logan's drink and gulped it down, surprising and maybe impressing him. Then she stormed out the door.

All eyes fell to Remy next.

"Maybe the parents had betta' stay inside fo' dis one," he said before running after her. Scott looked to Jean, Jean looked to Logan, Logan looked to Storm. Then they all got up and followed Remy together, straight to the pool house.

There they found Rogue, already shedding her clothes and heading for the diving board. She stripped all but her underwear.

"Oh, geez!" Scott said, stumbling over himself at the sight. Gasps were heard from the rest, except for Logan, who was shaking his head and snickering.

Remy leaned against the nearest wall, smiling widely, but not speaking.

"Rogue!" Scott called. "Get down from there right now!"

"Stop looking!" Jean scolded, and Scott looked to Jean quickly, opening his mouth, but didn't know how to respond. As he fumbled over words, Remy clapped for Rogue. He noticed Scott and laughed.

"Close yo' mouth, perdy boy. Makes ya look dumber den usual."

"Ready, Remy?"

"Take yo' time, Chere." Remy said. "We ain' in no hurry."

She gave him another look of warning.

"Rogue," Scott said, feeling stupid for talking to the floor. "As your commanding officer, I order you to get off that diving board."

"And what're you gonna do about it, Sugah?" she said, pirouetting a bit to make him more nervous. "Come up and get me?"

"She's drunk, Scott," Jean reminded him. "We all are. Don't listen."

"She's drunk and she's going to swim?" Scott said worriedly. "Bad mix!"

"Gettin' kinda cold up here!" Rogue sang.

"Anytime, Chere," Remy said, waving her onward.

"Remy!" Scott protested, but Rogue was already in midair. "Rogue, no!"

"Beautiful!" Remy clapped as Rogue splashed into the water. "I give it a ten."

"Yeah, enjoy it while you can, Cajun," Logan said. "Because this is the only time you are going to see her this bare."

"I beg to differ," Remy said. "I wouldn't mind seeing this show again."

"Yeah…" Scott said, so Jean smacked him on the back of the head.

"Sorry," he said quickly. "I must be drunk too."

"You had better be," Remy threatened. "I'd smack you someplace else."

"You will not," Jean warned.

"If he wouldn't," Logan jumped in. "I _would_."

"And who says Remy needs you t' fight his battles for him, eh, Short stack?" he challenged.

"Hey bub, I'd take you anytime, anywhere. And you know what? I'd win."

"Yeah, we see if ya say dat after Remy blow yo' head all da way back t' his hometown, no?"

"Uh, guys… Rogue?" Scott pointed to the water, which Rogue was still submerged under, with no bubbles surfacing.

Remy immediately began to attack his jacket to go after her, but Jean put up an arm to stop him.

"You can't touch her, Remy," Jean reminded. "Allow me."

Jean put her hands to her temples, concentrating heavily. The water in the pool swirled and whirlpooled, until Rogue was lifted from the water and gently placed onto the cement ground.

Scott immediately knelt by Rogue, craning his ear to her mouth to check her breathing, but Remy suddenly yanked him back by his collar.

"What da heck you t'ink you doin'? he demanded.

"He's just checking for breath, Remy!" Jean scolded. "Relax!"

"Like heck he is… Don't t'ink Remy dunno betta'."

"Remy, shut up. Go ahead, Scott."

Remy scowled, but didn't argue more.

But before anyone could speak up again, Rogue's eyes fluttered open, and she coughed out water in Scott's face.

"Ack!" Scott drew back, and wiped his face with his shirt.

"Step aside, small fry," Remy said, shoving him away. "You alive, Chere? Should know before anythin', Remy just saved yo' life."

"_You_?!" Scott and Jean said together.

"Should best be thankin' me," he finished.

"And how exactly would ya like me thanking you?" she said, balling up her fists. "In the gut or in the eye?"

"Ain' exactly what Remy had in mind."

"Why Ah oughta… Oh…" she said, rubbing her forehead. "My head."

"You should sleep. I'll carry her to her room. Remy, could you grab her clothes?"

"I'll carry her. You get the clothes."

"I'll carry myself, and my clothes," Rogue said, gathering her things. "And I would like not to be bothered until morning… Okay…? Remy?"

Remy snapped out of his staring trance.

"Huh? What was that?"

"Nevermind. Ah'm leaving."

As Rogue went back through the door to the mansion, she headed straight for the stairs up to her room, passing a sleepy Kitty, who was just on her way down. Kitty jerked her head up in surprise at Rogue's lack of clothing, and was sure to give Rogue plenty of passing room. Kitty found herself wide awake now.

"Whoa," she laughed. "Did I _miss_ something?"

"Lost a bet," Rogue explained. "To Remy."

Kitty nodded understandingly.

"Say no more."

**-**

**Please review.  
Signed,  
--RedRogue**


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